Generally skilled golfers give weekend warriors hope that they may very well be similar to their idols.
Nick Dunlap did simply that with a spectacular meltdown, extra prone to be seen at a public course than Augusta Nationwide.
The 21-year-old, who has already received twice on the PGA Tour, remarkably shot 90 in his opening spherical to take a seat +18, 11 photographs behind the following worst rating.
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A catch cry usually heard round native golf programs is ‘there’s nothing unsuitable with bogey golf’, besides in case you are taking part in in The Masters.
Dunlap didn’t make a birdie, however made six pars, seven bogeys, 4 double bogeys and a triple bogey in a heartbreaking spherical.
He needed to take a penalty after an errant drive into the woods on the fifth, dunked his method into the water left of the inexperienced on the eleventh, after which left his tee shot on the well-known par 3 twelfth quick and it trickled down the hill into Rae’s Creek.
The ache continued as he discovered water once more together with his method on the par 5 thirteenth, and added one other water ball to his depressing day on the par 3 sixteenth.
And all of it might have been quite a bit worse had Dunlap not been placing respectably, he averaged 1.83 putts per gap, 0.15 under the common for the sphere, however he didn’t three-putt as soon as.
The American’s probabilities of making a reduce at a serious for the primary time in six makes an attempt are lifeless within the water, like a number of of his first spherical shot, however hopefully he can bounce again within the second spherical with a show extra becoming of his abilities.
Dunlap was a prolific novice golfer, profitable the distinguished US Junior and US Beginner earlier than significantly making waves final yr by turning into the primary novice since Phil Mickelson 33 years in the past to win a PGA Tour occasion when he prevailed at The American Specific.
The relatable moments didn’t cease with Dunlap through the first spherical.
Augusta Nationwide is a really, very laborious golf course and it offers annual reminders of that each Masters.
Patrick Cantlay felt the brunt of it when he twice overcooked his chip from the behind the inexperienced on the par 5 fifteenth and watched in agony as on two events his ball rolled by means of the inexperienced and into the water.
Rory McIlroy did the very same factor not lengthy after.
U.S. Beginner champion Jose Luis Ballester took a aid of a distinct sort in one of many more strange incidents of the day.
Taking part in alongside Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas, the Spanish novice urinated in Rae’s Creek as he was busting to go the bathroom mid-round, absolutely the members at Augusta Nationwide wouldn’t have been too happy.
However they’d have been delighted in 1992 champion Fred {Couples} sending the golf world a reminder that the sport just isn’t all about distance.
The 65-year-old completed one-under par for the spherical, together with holing out for eagle on the par 4 14th.